The Journal of the British Association for the Study of Religions (www.basr.ac.

uk)
ISSN: 0967-8948
Diskus 14 (2013): 82-94
http://www.basr.ac.uk/diskus/diskus14/burke.pdf

Feedback was very helpful: the benefits of feedback on drafts for

students learning.
Dr Deirdre Burke, School of Law, Social Sciences and Communications,
University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. Deirdre.burke@wlv.ac.uk
Abstract:
This article reports on a longitudinal study with students to explore the
benefits for student learning from a feedback strategy providing feedback on
drafts in a first year module. Initial student evaluation, from fifty first year
Religious Studies students, is explored for the short-term benefits from this
approach, and reflective evaluations from forty second year students are used
to consider the longer-term impact of such feedback.
The research was based around Shutes 2008 advice that feedback was
useful if it provided students with motive, opportunity and means. Students
were motivated to act on feedback as they had the opportunity to apply their
development in the next task. The detail provided in feedback provided them
with the means to develop the necessary skills, and the motivation came from
the opportunity to resubmit all revised tasks for summative assessment.
The aim was to help students learn how to act on feedback through the
opportunity to improve their work through corrective and suggestive feedback.
Students found the opportunity to correct minor errors the most useful aspect
of this approach, followed by the benefit of learning how to use tutor feedback,
and the insights gained from seeing exemplars from past student work.
Keywords: assessment; drafts; exemplars; feedback; formative; reiterative.
Introduction
Feedback was very helpful, it gave a chance to first year students to adjust
and understand what is expected of them. This reflection from a second year
student on the feedback received on drafts in the first year of her study sets
the scene for this article. This approach is an attempt to respond to the gulf
between student experiences of tutor feedback in school and the higher
education practices they encounter.
Torenbeek et al, 2011, identified a link between student generic skill
development and the level of first year achievement. Beaumont et al, 2011
reported that many student experiences in relation to tutor feedback bring
dissatisfaction to the surface within three months in higher education. These
research insights led their team to recommend that it is in universities
interests to adapt their assessment practices to support transition more
effectively by taking into account students prior experience (Beaumont et al,
2011 p. 683).

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The innovation set out in this article is a reiterative feedback strategy aimed to
help students develop the skill of responding to tutor feedback by acting on
feedback on drafts of their work. Students were provided with guidance on
what to do with feedback, they were given additional materials to help them
develop the required skills to act on feedback, and finally they were motivated
to take this action through the opportunity to resubmit the piece of work, with
additional feedback to confirm they had got it right or more feedback guidance
to continue their development.
This strategy was developed in light of key points raised by academic
researchers in relation to the failure of higher education to adequately
respond to the needs of students who are new to higher education. It
responds to questions about student use of tutor feedback, rather than issues
about the quality of tutor feedback. Back in 2000 Askew and Lodge noted the
expectation that students would learn from tutor feedback, but raised the
question as to how learning can result from the gift of feedback (2000, p. 6).
Over the past decade my focus on feedback has moved from tutor provision
of feedback to student action on feedback. In my section of the text Giving
Students Effective Written Feedback, 2010, my concern was to explore a
range of strategies for students to use to get more out of tutor feedback.
Reiterative feedback featured as one of the case studies, and this article
explores the further development of this approach to enhance student
learning.
Theoretical underpinning
Negative feedback from students in the UK National Student Satisfaction
Survey has been a major impetus for debates within institutions on
improvements to tutor feedback. Williams and Kane, 2008, provided a
summary of the main findings in relation to assessment and feedback, which
included effective practices that aim to get useful feedback to students in time
for them to use it.
From the vast literature on feedback in higher education three key points have
relevance for this attempt to make tutor feedback more relevant for student
learning. Firstly, many research studies have demonstrated the challenges
facing students in understanding feedback practices in Higher Education.
Beaumont et al, 2011, reported that 65% of students identified feedback on
drafts as a key aspect of their prior experiences in school and/ or college.
Their study identified this experience of feedback as part of a formative
guidance process whereby students were encouraged to improve work in
light of teacher feedback. Thus, students were used to being given guidance
whilst they were in the process of working on an assignment, and they
viewed the opportunity to discuss drafts and have access to exemplars as
vital aspects of quality feedback (Beaumont et al, 2011 p. 682). For students
with such prior experiences the situation they will encounter in higher
education will be very different if the tutor view of feedback is of a postsubmission summative event (Beaumont et al, 2011). Tutors holding this
view provide guidance in module information, and further information about
requirements comes in summative feedback that may show students that they
have missed the point.
Secondly, research continues to pile up year on year to show that students do
not get full benefit from tutor feedback on their work. Brannon and Knoblauch
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found there is scarcely a shred of empirical evidence to show that students

typically even comprehend our responses to their writing, let alone use them
purposefully to modify their practice (1981, p.1). Thirty years later in 2011,
Price et al noted that the potential for feedback to enhance student learning
is considerably underdeveloped and stated there is a need to bring in a new
perspective to focus on engagement (2011, p. 879).
These works suggest that it is necessary to change student attitudes towards
feedback, from what Winter and Dye, 2004, noted as the grade fixation
tendency. They found that if students could access their grade electronically
many did not pick up their assignments to read tutor feedback. In addition,
Davies and Wrighton, 2004, noted that students regarded feedback as
specific to the particular assignment, and if they did not have an opportunity to
implement the feedback before the module ended, the feedback lost both
relevance and impact. These studies show that students want immediate
feedback and do not want to wait until the end of the semester to find out how
they are doing. Duncan et al, 2007, noted that a wait until the end of the
semester created anxiety and uncertainty, as first year students did not
possess points of reference they could use to self-assess their work.
Finally, a third theme in research on feedback, focused on a reconsideration
of actual feedback practices in order to make feedback more useful to
students. Taras, 2006, identified the injustice in undergraduate marking, as a
kind of double standard in the academy. She highlighted the part reviewers
can play in the development of an academic journal article, whereby initial
writing was corrected, revised and refocused in light of comments. Why, she
wondered, are undergraduate students denied expert iterative feedback?
Given the wide ranging research on the challenges facing new students, she
states One would expect undergraduate work to call for more formative
feedback than the work of academics, not less (2006, p. 368).
Together with my co-author Pieterick in Giving Students Effective Written
Feedback we identified the attitudes, strategies and knowledge that
underpinned the approach we wanted tutors and students to take towards
feedback. The first step concerns attitudes towards feedback, to move from
the retrospective view which regards feedback as only having value in relation
to past learning, to an understanding of the importance of the feedforward
element for current and future student learning. Central to the development of
such an attitudes is a need for students to be introduced to and to utilize a
range of strategies to unpack and act on tutor feedback. Together these two
elements will help students gain the knowledge that feedback is a crucial
element in their learning journey.
Reiterative feedback on drafts
This strategy was developed in light of my earlier research with students to
induct students into feedback practices in Higher Education so as to meet the
requirement to ensure that appropriate feedback is providedin a way that
promotes learning and facilitates improvement (QAA, 2000).
Assessment regimes that allow students to resubmit work in light of tutor
feedback can provide active student engagement with feedback. While not all
work can be resubmitted, many writers argue that resubmissions should play
a more prominent role in learning (Boud, 2000). Furthermore Gibbs and
Simpson, 2003, and Tang and Harrison, 2011, support the sequencing of
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assignments so that students can use the feedback on the first assignment to
inform the next task. Vardi, 2012, found that substantial improvements in
student writing occurred in situations where students were able to respond to
text-specific feedback (2012, p. 169).
I was involved as an observer on Duncan et als 2007 study on a single round
reiterative project. This provided students with the opportunity to act on three
specified aspects of tutor feedback, by making changes to highlighted
sections of their essay, and resubmitting for the possibility of a higher grade.
In a previous research study with Religious Studies students, Burke 2007,
student ability to respond to tutor feedback was developed through tutorials
and workshops. This process enabled students to take control over their
learning by drawing on tutor feedback, developing the required skills, and then
resubmitting their essay. Almost 70% of students agreed that acting on
feedback by re-writing an essay helped their learning.
Shute stated that useful feedback depended on motive, opportunity and
means (2008, p. 175). These three factors sit at the heart of the
development in this article. Students are given the motive by being able to
improve their grade, the opportunity through the reiterative cycles, and the
means through links to skills development materials.
The motive is important as through learning by doing students will develop a
positive attitude towards feedback, seeing that acting on feedback can
improve their work. Students consolidate this positive attitude to feedback
through the opportunity to act on the formative feedback to develop their work.
Price et al 2010, noted the importance of the opportunity to apply guidance
provided in feedback.
All too often students view feedback retrospectively and consider the
feedback as relevant only if they were to do that assignment again. In this
instance they do actually do the assignment again, and through this are able
to see the positive impact that feedback can have on their work. In the first
instance students will be pleased that they receive a higher grade for their
work, but in the long term students may get personal satisfaction by seeing
the improvements in their own work. This is particularly relevant for first year
students who are anxious to do as well as they can, and many find the
practice in resubmission helps the development of skills.
The third aspect means is often left out of discussions on feedback, Shute
elaborates that this means that the student is able and willing to use it. The
ability to use feedback is dependent on the student being able to unpack and
then act on tutor feedback. However, such action may be dependent on the
development of skills or understandings that the student does not possess.
Although there is extensive skills support provision in higher education there
is still a need to make a closer link between tutor feedback on work and
students consulting skills support to take action on that feedback. I was
horrified to find that only one of the 50 first year students had consulted a
skills tutor in relation to feedback, and that is in a module where they have
weekly reminders, are provided with the contact details for skills support and
actively encouraged to make use of such provision. Cottrell had noted that
changes in the student body go hand in hand with the need for different kinds
of teaching and with increased emphasis on skills development (2001, p. 6).
In addition Tait et al remind that students need to develop their study skills to
cope with the complexity of tasks demanded by higher education (1994, pp.
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323-4). Thus, hyperlinks to resources and inputs into class sessions ensured
that all students received relevant materials to develop their skills.
Feedback on drafts: application
Religious Studies is a discipline that requires clear and concise expression, a
level of objectivity and a consideration of the appropriateness of sources. How
do we assist students in this development? Vardis 2012 research on how
students negotiate aspects of content, form and context recommended
for skill development to be supported by disciplinary lecturers. Corrywright
and Morgans Get Set for Religious Studies is one of the few introductory
texts to link the introduction to a discipline with the skills required to study and
to present the results of study. They note Essay writing at university level
demands knowledge of the conventions of academic discourse and especially
of the way of writing accepted within the academic circle of your particular
subject (2006, p. 150). This recognition ties the development of skills to the
context.
Within our small Religious Studies department learning from assessment is a
central part of the student experience. This article focuses on the explicit
introduction students are given to skill development and writing within
Religious Studies. This provides the opportunity to learn how to act on tutor
feedback so that students can implement this learning in other modules. Tutor
feedback in all modules attempts to distinguish between feedback on
performance, and feedforward to develop academic practice, with hyperlinks
to aid this process.
Fifty first year Religious Studies students submitted drafts of four tasks for the
module Jews, Judaism and the Holocaust. The tasks were sequenced to
become more academically demanding in moving from a book review,
through a comparative exercise to critical essays. However, the same
expectation was present for grammatical accuracy and appropriate
referencing in all marking.
Past student work had identified uncertainty about aspects of grammar. Use
of capital letters can be a particular problem in Religious Studies when
referring to God. The use of the capital G signifies a belief in one God as
held in a monotheistic religion. The use of a small g changes the word to
god, meaning a belief in one god amongst many, as believed in polytheistic
religions. Moving on to referencing and here the main problem was the ability
to accurately refer to the author under scrutiny throughout a review. Dan
Cohn-Sherbok proved to be too much of a challenge for most students. He
was referred to as Dan, Cohn Sherbok, cohn-Sherbok, Cohn-sherbok, CohenSherbok, Sherbok, Sherboks, sometimes with several spellings in one review.
Thus there were issues about grammar and referencing in all tasks that
required consistent feedback to students in relation to grammatical rules and
referencing conventions.
This initiative built on research insights from previous studies, Burke 2007 and
2011, to provide a model of feedback on drafts to induct students into the
discipline community. This was done through consistent feedback given on
the four draft pieces of work, where each task built on the previous one and
provided an opportunity for students to respond to earlier feedback and avoid
mistakes. Thus, if the feedback on the first task, the book review, noted
problems in referencing, students were able to use a hyperlink to access
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information on referencing which they could apply in the second task.

Feedback on the second task would let the student know if they had applied
this information correctly. For more complex aspects of academic writing
some students may require several attempts before they get it right. Thus, the
four tasks provided the opportunity to identify an area for development, for the
student to develop and apply their new understanding, and then in light of
additional feedback students could refine and reapply rules and conventions.
Gibbs and Simpson, 2004, drew attention to the importance for student
learning from feedback to receive further assistance if necessary on their
attempt to act on feedback. This same point is reiterated by Price et al, Even
is the student understands the gap in their knowledge or skills, they may not
be able to act on the feedback without further help (2011, p. 892).
Finally, at the end of the module students submitted all four tasks for grading.
They received feedback that commented both on their overall achievement
and how well they had attempted to address issues in tutor feedback.
Central to this approach was the requirement to mark carefully and
consistently, to highlight aspects to be developed, and to provide students
with additional guidance in order to develop understandings and/ or skills in
order to self correct. Previous research with students, Burke et al 2009,
identified three types of material to support learning from feedback; additional
information, on-line tutorials to practice, and finally exemplars to display the
aspect of academic writing in a real piece of student work. Students were
directed to the most relevant materials for their particular need through a
hyperlink in the feedback.
Student views on feedback on drafts
This section provides these first year student views of the reiterative feedback
process. Students completed a questionnaire drawn from items students in
the previous year had raised in their evaluation of the feedback on this
module. Students provided quantitative data in their rating of how far they felt
the item helped them to improve their learning. In addition they were asked to
provide a comment to support their rating, and thus provide a qualitative
insight into their thinking. The table provides a list of the questions, set out in
the order rated by students. This is followed with a summary of student
comments on each question.
Table 1. Student comments and ratings on feedback on drafts
Range (1-10)
Mean score
1. It helped me sort out minor errors to
improve my grade
2. It was helpful to do drafts so we learn to act
on the feedback
3. It was helpful to see examples of student
work
4. It was helpful to get consistent feedback on
grammar and referencing
5. It was helpful to get advice in sessions to
explain what was required
6. It was helpful to do small tasks and work on

9 10

9.6

8 10

9.48

7 10

9.45

8 10

9.4

7 10

9.20

7 10

8.8
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one point at a time

7. It helped to have a hyperlink to advice or
practice
8. It was useful to have tests on problem areas
in class

7 10

8.56

5 10

7.2

Summary of student comments:

1. Sorting out errors: Students rated the value of reiterative feedback to
help them sort out minor errors and thereby improve their grade as the most
useful aspect of feedback. Student comments explained their frustration at
feeling that their grade could be affected by minor errors that they were
capable to correcting if they had the chance to do so. Some referred to these
as silly mistakes, essentially aspects of grammar or referencing that they
were capable of correcting. Indeed the opportunity to correct them, not only
might improve grades, but it provided the opportunity to learn as once these
mistakes are corrected you are more likely not to repeat them. This
opportunity to correct mistakes helped students to practice, follow guidance
and thus develop their proofreading skills.
2. Good to do drafts so we learn to act on the feedback
Students noted that this opportunity was beneficial in their first year at
university, as it helped them to adjust to university standards. Again
responses were split between those that rated the opportunity to act on the
feedback on drafts as a way of improving their grades, and those who focused
on the opportunity to develop their learning. Those stressing grade
improvement referred to the final submission as to the best of their ability, as
it would be a shame not to maximize their grade by acting on feedback.
Those focusing on learning referred to the opportunity to check, to develop,
and improve understandings. One student stated how this helps you to learn
to spot your own faults and be able to correct them in future work.
3. It is helpful to see examples of student work
Students found exemplars helped their learning in the following ways. Firstly,
many students referred to their value in helping them to structure their work,
as exemplars set a template, or a basic framework, as they acted as
guidelines or models. Secondly, students found exemplars useful as they
stimulated thought about the task, from an insight into other peoples work to
compare with yours, also as a way of learning the standard required. Some
students also provided examples of how seeing another piece of work
allowed them to be objective: I have a tendency to use long quotes and by
looking at examples it has given me a better understanding of how to use
quotes.
4. It is helpful to get consistent feedback on grammar and referencing
Consistency had been built into the process so that students had the
opportunity in the four tasks to act on the initial feedback on the first task, try
in the second, and reapply if they still had problems. This brought in multiple
opportunities to correct and develop within the parameters set by one tutor.
This was important, as often students get frustrated when tutors appear to
want different things.
One student noted: consistent feedback should lead to consistent referencing
and grammar. This quote sums up the view of many students on the value of

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practice because the only way to get this stuff right for me is practice and
being reminded where Im going wrong.
5. It is helpful to get advice in sessions to explain what is required
Time was spent in class sessions discussing the general issues arising from
feedback provided on each task. This also involved input on aspects of
academic writing that the majority of students would benefit from. Student
comments indicated that they appreciated these opportunities to explore
aspects of planning, writing and referencing in order to understand what is
required. Some students referred to the importance of such inputs at the start
of their course as it is a bit overwhelming so advice is useful.
6. It is helpful to do small tasks and work on one point at a time
Student responses identified a range of benefits from the breakdown of the
assignment into four main tasks, where each task was completed and they
received feedback on it before moving on to the next task. The tasks were
also sequenced in terms of complexity and one led into the next. The first task
was a book review, in which they were to undertake a CARS check on the
author, and to summarize an interesting section. They then had to compare
the section in their selected book on beliefs about God with the section in a
key text. They then moved from two sources to four sources in setting out the
challenge that the Holocaust posed to Jewish beliefs about God. The final
task required them to explore one theological response to the challenge the
Holocaust posed to Jewish beliefs about God, here they had to use a primary
source, then draw on critical commentaries to weigh up the success of the
response.
Students identified three key benefits from this approach. Firstly, in relation to
the complexity of the tasks they appreciated the start working from one source
to the final task drawing on multiple sources. They also noted that
concentrating on one task at a time enabled them to gain a better
understanding of each small chunk. For one student it helped as she found it
very confusing to cover different points, one point at a time is easier and
clearer.
Secondly, students found the short tasks were easier to handle in terms of
time. The requirement to do small amounts of work over a number of weeks
was less of a challenge than completing one large task. One student noted it
makes the course more manageable... This ability to cope with small tasks
also led into the final point, as shown by this response it gives you more time
to read and prepare for assignments, so it is less stressful.
Finally, several students noted that this breakdown of tasks, interspersed with
feedback, made the work less stressful. For first year students in their first
year a lot of time can be spent worrying if their work is on target, so to hand
work in early in the semester provides them with some instant feedback.
7. It helps to have a hyperlink to advice or practice
The feedback given on each task was succinct, partly due to the pressure on
marking time, but also so as to not confuse students with too much
information. The feedback was supplemented with a hyperlink to an electronic
source to provide additional detail to help students take action on points noted
in feedback. The majority of learning needs related to aspects of grammar
and referencing, so links were provided to basic sites to help students get
right aspects of grammar they needed to check on and practice. Students
appreciated the ease of access and the additional information provided. Some
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students noting that it helped them put right a problem that they had not
realized before, one reported, they help a lot. I followed up the link on writing
paragraphs to learn what I was doing wrong and how to improve. Which was
also recognition that some links address personal needs on topics that
individuals found quite difficult and help is needed.
Half of the group actually followed up hyperlinks to access such materials, a
disappointing figure given that all they had to do was click on the link.
However, this fifty percent figure is higher than the figures cited in similar
studies, Weaver, 2006, found only 4% of students surveyed consulted study
skills books for guidance on issues raised in tutor feedback on their work.
8. It is useful to have tests on problem areas in class
Informal tests in class were brought in on aspects of academic writing that the
majority of students would benefit from practice on. Generally we assume in
making feedback comments that students will be able to act our advice and
self correct, but this is not always easy. Students may have been taught
grammatical rules at school, but if they have misused some rules in their
general writing they may now not be sure of what these rules actually are.
This was certainly the case in relation to apostrophes and capitals, especially
when one of the tasks required them to set out Gods attributes. Student
drafts showed that the majority were not clear on when to use apostrophes
and capital letters. Short tests were completed in pairs that required them to
correct a piece of text by adding apostrophes and capitals. They were then
provided with the grammatical rules concerning the use of apostrophes and
capital letters, which they were able to use to correct their responses to the
test.
Issues for discussion
1. Impact of receiving feedback on drafts and acting on advice
Price et al, 2010, noted that because of the complexity of tutor feedback it is
difficult to assess its effectiveness for student learning. However, an
assessment of the effectiveness of this feedback on drafts is possible as the
feedback provided was very specific and essentially corrective. The shortterm impact of feedback on drafts can be accessed through a comparison
between the grades the students received on this module and other modules
in which they did not have the opportunity to act on feedback. Almost half of
the student group (47%) received a higher grade in the Jews, Judaism and
the Holocaust module than in their other modules. Just over a third received
the same grade, and a small percentage, 16%, received a lower grade. This
suggests that the opportunity to act on feedback had a positive impact on
grades. This finding that formative feedback has an impact is supported by
other research studies cited by Shute, 2008, which show improvements to
learning.
The fact that over a third got the same grade can be explained by the
response from the vast majority of students, 85%, that they were able to use
feedback advice from Jews, Judaism and the Holocaust in other modules. In
addition, most students, 95%, felt that they would have been able to improve
their grades in their other modules if they had received feedback on drafts.
The longer term impact of acting on feedback on drafts on student learning
can be accessed through responses from second year students, reflecting
back on this experience from the first year of their study. Students were able
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to remember the changes they made to drafts, many providing details of the
changes to structure, developing points, grammar and referencing. One
student noted I found the feedback on my drafts very helpful as it helped me
see where I was going off track. Whilst one student summed up the benefit
Feedback was very helpful, it gave a chance to first year students to adjust
and understand what is expected of them.
2. Debate about higher / lower level academic skills
This approach to build support sessions into class lectures is contentious as it
focuses on the development of academic skills; skills in literature searching,
planning, writing and referencing. Many works on feedback consider such
skills as soft or basic skills, which should not be considered by tutor feedback.
Students in Fergusons 2012 survey, found comments on such pedantic
matters, grammar and referencing, less important than comments on content
and structure. Although follow up comments included a suggestion that such
comments could be useful if they provided guidance for improvement: Focus
on the fine detail is not useful, what is needed is an explanation of how to
improve (Ferguson, 2012, p. 56).
The approach in this article does make the link between fine detail and how to
make the required improvements, and comments set out in the previous
section show that students appreciated the opportunity to correct basic errors.
This approach holds that if students do not possess the necessary skills on
entry to higher education this deficit will hamper learning throughout their
course of study. In addition this approach attempts to address the criticisms
we hear about the poor skills graduates bring to the workplace. Many of our
graduates aim to go into initial teacher education, and their writing skills will
be tested at the interview stage.
This innovation to provide formative feedback on drafts of student work within
a module aimed to induct students into the standards and conventions within
their subject. This links to advice from research studies, such as Vardi 2012,
to support skill development within a subject discipline. Feedback helped
students improve the standard of their work by correcting their mistakes and
focusing their efforts on task requirements. Comments from students show
that the opportunity to take action on feedback had an impact beyond the
module, not only in the practical correcting of mistakes, but also in developing
a strategy to apply tutor feedback to future learning.
Dr Deirdre Burke is the Course Leader for Religious Studies, within the school
of Law, Social Science and Communications at the University of
Wolverhampton. She was awarded a National Teacher Fellowship in 2005,
and has focused her research in the past decade on issues concerning
student use of tutor feedback.
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